1. In the beginning was Initiation. The flesh profiteth nothing; the mind
profiteth nothing; that which is unknown to you and above these, while firmly
based upon their equilibrium, giveth life.

2. In all systems of religion is to be found a system of Initiation, which
may be defined as the process by which a man comes to learn that unknown Crown.

3. Though none can communicate either the knowledge or the power to achieve
this, which we may call the Great Work, it is yet possible for initiates to
guide others.

4. Every man must overcome his own obstacles, expose his own illusions. Yet
others may assist him to do both, and they may enable him altogether to avoid
many of the false paths, leading no whither, which tempt the weary feet of the
uninitiated pilgrim. They can further insure that he is duly tried and tested,
for there are many who think themselves to be Masters who have not even begun to
tread the Way of Service that leads thereto.

5. Now the Great Work is one, and the Initiation is one, and the Reward is
one, however diverse are the symbols wherein the Unutterable is clothed.

6. Hear then the history of the system which this lection gives you the
opportunity of investigating.

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Listen, we pray you, with attention: for once only does the Great Order knock
at any one door.

Whosoever knows any member of that Order as such, can never know another,
until he too has attained to mastery.

Here, therefore, we pause, that you may thoroughly search yourself, and
consider if you are yet fitted to take an irrevocable step.

For the reading of that which follows is Recorded.

THE HISTORY LECTION

7. Some years ago a number of cipher MSS. were discovered and deciphered by
certain students. They attracted much attention, as they purported to derive
from the Rosicrucians. You will readily understand that the genuineness of the
claim matters no whit, such literature being judged by itself, not by its
reputed sources.

8. Among the MSS. was one which gave the address of a certain person in
Germany, who is known to us as S.D.A. Those who discovered the ciphers wrote to
S.D.A., and in accordance with the instructions received, an Order was founded
which worked in a semi-secret manner.

9. After some time S.D.A. died: further requests for help were met with a
prompt refusal from the colleagues of S.D.A. It was written by one of them that
S.D.A.'s scheme had always been regarded with disapproval. But since the
absolute rule of the adepts is never to interfere with the judgment of any other
person whomsoever how much more, then, one of themselves, and that one most
highly revered!—they had refrained from active opposition. The adept who wrote
this added that the Order had {56} already quite enough knowledge to enable it or its
members to formulate a magical link with the adepts.

10. Shortly after this, one called S.R.M.D. announced that he had formulated
such a link, and that himself and two others were to govern the Order. New and
revised rituals were issued, and fresh knowledge poured out in streams.

11. We must pass over the unhappy juggleries which characterized the next
period. It has throughout proved impossible to elucidate the complex facts.

We content ourselves, then, with observing that the death of one of his two
colleagues, and the weakness of the other, secured to S.R.M.D. the sole
authority. The rituals were elaborated, though scholarly enough, into verbose
and pretentious nonsense: the knowledge proved worthless, even where it was
correct: for it is in vain that pearls, be they never so clear and precious, are
given to the swine.

The ordeals were turned into contempt, it being impossible for any one to
fail therein. Unsuitable candidates were admitted for no better reason than that
of their worldly prosperity.

In short, the Order failed to initiate.

12. Scandal arose and with it schism.

13. In 1900 one P., a brother, instituted a rigorous test of S.R.M.D. on the
one side and the Order on the other.

14. He discovered that S.R.M.D., though a scholar of some ability and a
magician of remarkable powers, had never attained complete initiation: and
further had fallen from his original place, he having imprudently attracted to
himself forces of evil too great and terrible for him to withstand.

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The claim of the Order that the true adepts were in charge of it was
definitely disproved.

15. In the Order, with two certain exceptions and two doubtful ones, he found
no persons prepared for initiation of any sort.

16. He thereupon by his subtle wisdom destroyed both the Order and its chief.

17. Being himself no perfect adept, he was driven of the Spirit into the
Wilderness, where he abode for six years, studying by the light of reason the
sacred books and secret systems of initiation of all countries and ages.

18. Finally, there was given unto him a certain exalted grade whereby a man
becomes master of knowledge and intelligence, and no more their slave. He
perceived the inadequacy of science, philosophy, and religion; and exposed the
self-contradictory nature of the thinking faculty.

19. Returning to England, he laid his achievements humbly at the feet of a
certain adept D.D.S., who welcomed him brotherly and admitted his title to the
grade which he had so hardly won.

20. Thereupon these two adepts conferred together, saying: May it not be
written that the tribulations shall be shortened? Wherefore they resolved to
establish a new Order which should be free from the errors and deceits of the
former one.

21. Without Authority they could not do this, exalted as their rank was among
adepts. They resolved to prepare all things, great and small, against that day
when such Authority should be received by them, since they knew not where to
seek for higher adepts than themselves, but {58} knew that the true way to attract
the notice of such was to equilibrate the symbols. The temple must be builded
before the God can indwell it.

22. Therefore by the order of D.D.S. did P. prepare all things by his arcane
science and wisdom, choosing only those symbols which were common to all
systems, and rigorously rejecting all names and words which might be supposed to
imply any religious or metaphysical theory. To do this utterly was found
impossible, since all language has a history, and the use (for example) of the
word “spirit” implies the Scholastic Philosophy and the Hindu and
Taoist theories concerning the breath of man. So was it difficult to avoid
implication of some undesirable bias by using the words “order,” “circle,” “chapter,” “society,” “brotherhood,” or any other to designate the body of initiates.

23. Deliberately, therefore, did he take refuge in vagueness. Not to veil the
truth to the Neophyte, but to warn him against valuing non-essentials. Should
therefore the candidate hear the name of any God, let him not rashly assume that
it refers to any known God, save only the God known to himself. Or should the
ritual speak in terms (however vague) which seem to imply Egyptian, Taoist,
Buddhist, Indian, Persian, Greek, Judaic, Christian, or Moslem philosophy, let
him reflect that this is a defect of language; the literary limitation and not
the spiritual prejudice of the man P.

24. Especially let him guard against the finding of definite sectarian
symbols in the teaching of his master, and the reasoning from the known to the
unknown which assuredly will tempt him.

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We labour earnestly, dear brother, that you may never be led away to perish
upon this point; for thereon have many holy and just men been wrecked. By this
have all the visible systems lost the essence of wisdom.

We have sought to reveal the Arcanum; we have only profaned it.

25. Now when P. had thus with bitter toil prepared all things under the
guidance of D.D.S. (even as the hand writes, while the conscious brain, though
ignorant of the detailed movements, applauds or disapproves the finished work)
there was a certain time of repose, as the earth lieth fallow.

26. Meanwhile these adepts busied themselves intently with the Great Work.

27. In the fullness of time, even as a blossoming tree that beareth fruit in
its season, all these pains were ended, and these adepts and their companions
obtained the reward which they had sought they were to be admitted to the Eternal
and Invisible Order that hath no name among men.

28. They therefore who had with smiling faces abandoned their homes, their
possessions, their wives, their children, in order to perform the Great Work,
could with steady calm and firm correctness abandon the Great Work itself: for
this is the last and greatest projection of the alchemist.

29. Also one V.V.V.V.V. arose, an exalted adept of the rank of Master of the
Temple (or this much He disclosed to the Exempt Adepts) and His utterance is
enshrined in the Sacred Writings.

30. Such are Liber Legis, Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente, {60} Liber Liberi vel
Lapidis Lazuli and such others whose existence may one day be divulged unto you.
Beware lest you interpret them either in the Light or in the darkness, for only
in L.V.X. may they be understood.

31. Also He conferred upon D.D.S., O.M., and another, the Authority of the
Triad, who in turn have delegated it unto others, and they yet again, so that
the Body of Initiates may be perfect, even from the Crown unto the Kingdom and
beyond.

32. For Perfection abideth not in the Pinnacles, or in the Foundations, but
in the ordered Harmony of one with all.